Display apparatus



" Dec. 21 I926; 1,611,216

' L. R. MCDONALD DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed August 1, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet s 9,0 G INVENTOR. I

Julz'zfiz fiindd,

A TTORNEY.

to erplain. V

In the drawings, Fig.1 1s a side v1ew of Patented Dec. 1926.

hairs state theme RQMononALn-or MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

DISPLAY erreaa'rvs. 1

Application filed August 1, 1925. Serial 110 47,436.

My inventionrelatesf to'that' class of display apparatuses wherein flexible placards are. wound around a rotatable placard holder, movable step by step, and are successively released to unroll and drop into view position.

The objects of myinvention are to simplify the arrangementand construction of theoperative partsof the mechanism; to;

provide means for preventing confusion in the operation of the mechanism in case any placards are omitted from their normal positions in the placard carrier; to provide means for overcoming adhesionsto the roll by the last placard, due to static electricity, or other similar causes; and to provide I means whereby the movement of the placard carrier may be automatically arrestedafter a predeterminedcyele of operation; and to secure these objects by the use of improved and novel mechanism as I will now. proceed mechanism embodying my improvements,

the case in which it is mounted beingbrokenaway; Fig. 2 is a front. view of the'operative mechanism taken on the line122 of Figs; 1 and looking the left, the case being omitted and the view being shortened by the omission of medial parts; Fig. 3 1s a sectional elevation taken on the line 3+3 of Fig. 2, looking to the right, and also show-w ing diagrammatically the electric motor and circuit for the cut-off switch mechanism; Fig. dis a detached plan view ofthe switch; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view. takenon the line 55 of Fig. looking to the left; and

Fig. 6'is a detail of one end of the placard carrier. taken as on'the line 66 'of'Fig. 2, looking tothe left. Figs. 2 .to. 6, inclusive, are on an enlarged scale as compared with Fig.1.- In all the figures similar parts are designated by corresponding reference numerals.

In the case 1 is mounted a suitable frame 1 Gear 8 meshes with a gear 10.011 a shaft.

11 journalled in the frame of the'apparatus and carrying the lifting rollers 12-12, V which operate to raise the free end of the rearmost placard at the propertime.

and carrying with it gears I The gear'8 also meshes with 'a gearlet on v i a shaft 15 journalled in the frame 2-,2 and carrying a number of sheet agitators'16, 16; ,attachedthereto, These agitators'are preferably of a polygonal form; and the shaft 15 is so positioned in'the' frame 22 that the foremost placard carried by the placard carrier hangs over and against. the agitators,

and will be shaken by them, 'because o f their irregular contours, as the shaft 15 revolves. v The gear 9 meshes with a gear 18mounted on a shaft 19 journalled-in the frame 22 and carrying on its inner end an eccentric 20, the primary function of which is to oscillate and cause the step by step rotation of the-placard carrien The placard carrier embodies a shaft 22'carried byarms 23, 2 1 supported by a rod'25, the ends of which rest in slots 26, 26 in the upper edgeofthe frame 2+2. v

on the shaft 22 m assembled the placard carrier'heads 30, 31,and an intermediate placardsupporting disk32. '7 The head 30 is provided with a series. of holes33, 33, to sup-I port one end of theplacard rods 34, which extend in a series around the carrier, an butv one, however, being 'omitted from Fig. -2for clearness. A keeper disk 35 ispivoted on the rod 22 and is provided with a series of holes 36, 36

adaptedto register with the holes 33 in the head 30. A slot 37 in the disk 35, through which passes a set screw 38, per'mits the keeper disk to be rotated so thatits holes 36, 36 may be thrown into or out of registration.

with the holes 33, 33 in the head 30. The I head 31 is also .provided'with .a series of holes 40, 40, the outer" ends of whichare smaller than their-inner ends, which are adaptedto receive the ends of the rods .34,

34, but not to allow them to pass through the .head 31.

This arrangement allows the rodsto be I slid through the keeper disk 35, and head v 30 andintothe head 31, andto be locked in .place by the-rotation of the keeper disk 35, secured by the set screw 38.v At the same time it permits any rod to be removed when i the keeper disk 35 and the head 30 are' in proper registration, by nsertmga pinor hole 40, and thereby pushing the rod 34: but so that it can be withdrawn from the heads.

through a loop at one end of the placard.

similar instrument in the small e ndofithe i 'The arm 2-5: is provided with an adjustable Itsh-ould be understood that therod passes against the teeth 51, 51, on the head 31. A

extension 42 swinging on a pin 43, one end of which projects through the arm toward the head 31. By means of a slot 44 and a 'pin 43 which, therefore, limits the backward swing of the end 54 of the arm 53 The arm 53..carr1es a pawl 55 pivoted thereto, and being held to duty by. gravity,

stop pin 56, adjustably mounted in a'slot 57 in the end of the frame 2, intercepts the path of the arm 53, and by adjustment of this pin the range of movement of the arm 53 may be regulated.

It will be seen, therefore, that as the cam 20 revolves, the placard roll, carried by the swinging arms 23 and 24, will tend to swing back so that the roller 46 follows the cam 20,,thereby swinging the placard carrier forward and'back as the cam revolves, a com-; plete backward swing of the carrier permitting therearmost placard to come in contact with the rollers 12 on shaft 11, which are revolving anti-clockwise, and hence will raise the placard up and push it forward over the carrier permitting it to drop into View posi-- tion. Each swing of the placard carrier will cause the pawl 55 to turn the head 31 one tooth,'so that the placards will be successively presented to the raising rollers 12-'12.

In practice, however, it may be desirable or necessary to leave out one or more placards, thereby causing breaks in the series. If a placard is omitted, however, when the carrier turns so that the omitted placard should register against the raising rollers 1212, those rollers will engage with the next succeeding placard, and thereby throw it forward one step in advance of its proper time, with the result that the mechanism will be thrown out of proper step, and disarrangement ofthe placards and mechanism will ensue. v Q

. To guard against this I provide means for preventing the placard carrier from swing ing quite back to the raising rollers, at a time when. an omitted placards position is before those rollers. ploy are these. In the head'31 I place a second series of holes 60, 60, adapted to receive a pin or pins 61; and in the frame'of the machine I mount a stop 62 which is shown as having a forked end 63 straddling a set bolt 64 slidably placed in a slot 65 in the frame 2. If a placard is omitted from any position in the placard carrier, a pin 61 is The means which I em-- placed in a hole 60, complementary to the hole 40 from which the placard has been omitted, the end of the pin 61 projecting out so as to be intercepted by the stop 62. When, therefore, the placard carri r swings back, the pin 61 will encounter the stop '62, before the placard roll comes in contact with the rollers 12 12, so that on that particular backward swing of the placard roll no placard will be raised and thrown forward over the roller into view position. 7 7

It is necessary, however, that, the proper step by step rotation of the placard car rier should not'be interrupted, and this is provided for by the use of the floating pawl 55, the range of action of which is limited by the pins. 43 and 56 so that it will turn the placard carrier the proper step even though the placard carrier does not complete its full backward swing.

It sometimes happens that because of the accumulation of static electricity in the placard roll, or for other cau es, the placards will tend to stick to each other or to the glass front of the case, so thatthe proper falling forward into view position of each successive placard will be interfered with. To overcome this difficulty I make use of the agitators 16, 16, which lie behind the placard as it drops forward, an.d, by shaking it, assist in overcoming any tendency to adhere or stick to the placard roll or to the case. In practice I find that this very sat isfactorily overcomes the difficulties above mentioned. 7

In apparatuses of this description, which are placed in public places and are intended to operate without constant supervision, it is desirable to provide means whereby the movement of the apparatus may be automatically suspended at a predetermined time. I

To accomplish this I have devised the following means. In the frame ofthe machine I mount two toothed disks'YO, 71, turning on a pivot 7 2 and pressed into frictional contact by suitable means such a spring 73. One of these disks, for in'stancei't), has one tooth. loss than the disk 71. The disk 76 has a socket notch 74 in its edge and the disk 71 has a'similar notch 7 5 in its edge. An arm 76 is pivoted as at 77 in the frame 2 and carries a roller 78 pressed to duty on the cam 20by a spring 79.

This arm 76 carries a pawl 80 which en'- gages with the teeth on the disks 70 and' 71; so that at each revolution of the cam 20, the pawl 80 will be thrown down against 0 the teeth to an extent governed by the position of the stop 81. Hence at each complete revolution of the disks, their relative positions will be displaced one tooth; so

that they'will have to revolve such a number of times as is represented by the product of the number of teeth on one disk multiplied by. the numberlof teeth onthe other before they will regain their, previous relative positions. The time necessary for this and is urged toward the disks 70 and 71' by suitable means such as a spring 84 stretched between one end'ofthe arm 82 and asuit able anchorage in the frame. This arm 82 has a 'flange .85 extending across the edges of the disks 70 and 71, and normally resting thereagainst. The arm82'is connected as through a link 86 with a switch 87 placed in a circuit 90, 91, 92, which includes the mo- So long asthe flange 85 flanges on the disks 70 and 71, the circuit, including the motor, will remain closed, and the mechanism will continueto operate. 7 But if the slotst' l and 7 5 register opposite to the flange 85, that flange will pass up, into them, thereby raising the arm 82, opening. the switch 87, breaking the circuit and stopping the operation of the apparatus. 7

To start the apparatus the flange 85 may be withdrawn from the notches 7 at and 75, and. the switch 87 closed by suitable means. In the drawings I have shown the key 87 mounted on a handle 88, by turning which the arm 82 may be pressed 'down'so as to close the switch 87. The contour of the key is such as to make it normally retain the position shown in Fig. 8 under the pressure of the arm 82 against it. 'Means such as a trip 89 on the flange of d1sk 70 may be em- "ployed to turn the key into a neutral position as the disks revolve, and to thereby allow' the arm 82 to move its flange 85into contact with the edges of the disks 70 and? 1.

7 By means of my improvements I obtain an apparatus from which one or more placards may be omitted without interfering with the normal operation of the mechanism; in which the tendency of the placards to stick to the roll or case is overcome; and

"inwhich means are provided for automatform.

ically arresting'the movement of the mechanism at predetermmed' points 1n its operation; and I accomplish this with a simple and efiici'ent mechanism which will operate with marked dependability. r 1

It will be understood that the particular embodiment of my improvements Which I have illustrated and described is to be con sidered as a typical and not an exclusive modified by the use of mechanical equivalents and the like without departing from the spirit of my invention as described and claimed. V i

Iaving thus described my invention, what I-claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a display apparatus,'the combination tating.

is held up by the For details of construction may be of rotating means and a [rotatable placard i earner, a SQIflGS of flexible placards each at- V sively, and means foroptionally temporarily interrupting the operative action-of the lift-.

ing means, While the p'lacard carrier. is ro- 2. In a display apparatus, the combination of rotating means and a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards each attached by one end thereto and partially rolled thereupon with their free ends depending therefrom, means for lifting the dependingiportions of the placardsysucces sively, and means for optionally preventing the operative actionof the lifting-means at I a predetermined sheet position. a

3. In a display apparatus, the combination; -of rotating means and arotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible- 'placards'each attached by one end thereto and partially roll-ed thereupon with their free ends depending therefrom, intermittently cooperating means for lifting the depending portions of the placards, successively, and means for' optionally preventing the operative a'c-- tion of the lifting means at a predetermined sheet position. v

4. In a displayapparatus, the combination of rotating means and a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards each attached by one end thereto and partially rolled thereupon with their free ends de pending therefrom, means for lifting the depending portions of the placards, successively, and means, for optionally suspending the operative action of the lifting means at any predetermined sheet position and automatically permitting the resumption of such operative action at a subsequent sheet position.

5.,In a display apparatus, the combination of rotating'means'and a shiftable and step by step rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards each attached by one end thereto and partially rolled thereupon-with their free ends depending therefrom, means for lifting the depending portions of the v placards successively,-means'for moving-the placard carrier into the field of'operation of the lifting means at each step of rotation.-

andoptionally operable means for arresting the movement of the carrier short of such field of operationl r 6. In a display apparatus, the combination of rotating means and'placard carrier swing ing means,"a swingable and rotatable placard carrier, a series of fiexibleplacards each attached by one end thereto and partially rolled thereupon with their. free ends de- 7 pending therefrom, means for lifting the de pending portions of the placards successive- 1y,,and means, embodying adjustable stops,

for limiting the swing of the placard carrier and thereby optionally preventing the operative act-ion of the lifting means.

8. In a display apparatus, the combina' tion of rotating means and a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards each attached by one end thereto and partially rolled thereupon with their free ends depending therefrom, means for causing the placards successively to fall forward over the placard carrier toward View position, and means for producing irregular waves in the placard and thereby, overcoming adhe sion of a free portion of the placard to the placard roll.

9. In a display apparatus, the combination of rotating means and a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards each at tached by one end thereto and partially rolled thereupon with their free ends depending therefrom, means for causing the placards successively to fall forward over the placard carrier toward view position, and agitating means for producing waves in the intermediate portion of a placard and thereby overcoming adhesion of the free portion-of the placard tofthe placard roll.

10. In adisplay apparatus, the combination of rotating means and a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards each attached by one end thereto and partially rolled thereupon with their free ends depending therefrom, means for causing the placards successively to fall forward over the placard carrier toward view position, and agitating means, embodying rotatable, polygonal elements, for overcoming adhesion of the free portion of the placard to the placard roll. V

11. In a display apparatus, the combination of rotating means and a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards each attached by one end. thereto and partially rolled thereupon with their free ends depending therefrom, means for causing the placards successively to fall forward over the placard carrier toward view position, and rotatable elements irregularly striking the back of the placard, intermediate of'its ends, for overcoming the clinging elfect of frictionally produced electricity in the placard.

12. In a display apparatus, the combination of rotating means and a rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards each attached by one end thereto and partially rolled thereupon with their free ends depending therefrom, means for lifting the depending portions of" the placards, successively, a plurality of elements successively engaging with the placard and constituting placard agitating means, common means for actuating the carrier, the lifting means and the agitating means, and means for optionallypreventing the operative action of the lifting means.

13. In a display apparatus, the combination of rotating means and a swingable and rotatable placard carrier, a series of flexible placards each attached by one end thereto and partially rolled thereupon with their free ends depending therefrom, means for lifting the depending portions of the placardssuccessively, placard agitating means, common means for swinging and rotating the carrier, and actuating the lifting means and the agitating means, and means for optlonally preventing the operative action of the lifting ards successively, placard agitating means,v

common means for swinging and rotating the carrier and actuating the lifting means and the agitating means, means for optionally preventing the operative action of the lifting means, and automatic means, actuated by the carrier swinging means, for ar-.

resting the movement of the apparatus;

LESLIE R. MCDONALD. 

